Priesthood Quorums' Table -- June 1916

The First Presidency has sent out the following instructions, to stake presidents and bishops, on these subjects:

DEAR BRETHREN: A number of enquiries have been received of late from Presidents of stakes and quorum officers concerning enrollment in Priesthood quorums and classes. We consider this subject of sufficient importance to justify sending this letter to you, which we hope you will consider with the High Council and other stake and ward officers, and which should be entered in your stake historical record.

FIRST. — Each quorum should have one roll only, and every person holding the Priesthood should be enrolled in the quorum having jurisdiction in the ward where his Church membership is recorded. The practice of keeping a supplemental or inactive roll is not approved.

SECOND. — Recommends from one quorum to another are not required. The present arrangement for admitting members in the quorum is already published as follows:

"The certificate of ordination should be carefully preserved by the person ordained; and, whenever necessary, it should be presented to the proper authority as an evidence of his ordination. Upon this evidence he should be admitted to membership in the usual manner by the quorum having jurisdiction in the ward or stake where he resides, providing he has been accepted as a member of the ward. If he does not possess a certificate of ordination, and the recommend upon which he is received in the ward names his Priesthood and ordination, it should be accepted as evidence that he holds that office, provided there is no evidence to the contrary, and provided he has been admitted as a member of the ward in full fellowship."

THIRD. — When a person holding the Priesthood removes from one ward to another and is accepted as a member of the ward into which he moves, it becomes the duty of the Ward Clerk to notify the president of the quorum of the arrival of this person. The new member should present his certificate of ordination as evidence that he holds the Priesthood, and upon that certificate he should be presented for admission to membership in the quorum to which members of that ward holding the same Priesthood belong. It is the duty of the Ward Clerk to report at the next ward weekly Priesthood meeting the arrival of any person holding the Priesthood, and every such newly arrived member should be enrolled in the proper class, whether he has attended a class meeting or not.

FOURTH. — When a member holding the Priesthood becomes a member of the ward, the proper quorum officer having jurisdiction should look after him and see that he becomes enrolled in the quorum.

FIFTH. — It is the duty of the secretary of a High Priests' or Elders' quorum to prepare certificates of ordination, and to have them signed by the proper officers, presented to the Ward Clerk to be entered upon the ward record, and then delivered to the persons in whose favor they are issued. Seventies' quorums, however, do not issue certificates of ordination. They are issued by the First Council of Seventy. Therefore, Seventies' quorums should not be provided with certificates. When a person is ordained to the office of Seventy by any other person than a member of the First Council, the proper quorum officers should immediately notify the First Council of Seventy, requesting a certificate of ordination to be mailed or delivered to the quorum officer, and after it has been entered on the quorum record and the ward record it should be delivered to the person in whose favor it is issued.

SIXTH. — When a quorum withdraws its fellowship from one of its members, a report of the action of the quorum should be sent to the Bishop of the ward.

We trust that you will take such steps as may be necessary to bring this matter before the quorums of the Priesthood in your stake of Zion, so that there may be uniformity established in enrolling members in quorums and classes and in the preparation and issuing of certificates of ordination.

With kind personal regards, we are,

Your brethren in the Gospel,

JOSEPH F. SMITH,
ANTHON H. LUND,
CHARLES W. PENROSE,
First Presidency.

SALT LAKE CITY, MAY 9, 1916.


Suggestive Outlines for the Deacons

By P. Joseph Jensen

Lesson 16

The aim of this lesson should be to develop in the boys a sympathy for the Indians.

The problem may be as follows: How ought we to feel towards the Indians? Let several boys give answers with reasons for them.

When did they come to America? Why do they have a colored skin? (See Nephi 5:20-23.) How long ago did they alone occupy America? What have the American people done with the Indians? Tell how William Penn dealt with them. Tell of one war in which Indians have been cruelly treated by Americans. Tell president Young's policy of dealing with the Indians.

Read a promise of the Lord to the Indians (See Enos 1:10-18. When did that book, or the records of the Indians, come forth?

Relate an incident or two in which the Book of Mormon has been given to Indians to read and study.

Study the lesson in the lesson-book. Have in mind how a prominent Indian from Uintah was warned by a heavenly messenger not to do so wicked a deed as killing a servant of the Lord.

Why ought we to be sympathetic towards the Indians? Get a summary of the thoughts in the lesson. What can we do? Get answers of kind treatment when opportunity offers and occasionally pray that the Lord will fulfil all his promises to them.

Lesson 17

The aim of the following lesson might be to impress the deacons with the necessity of exercising careful judgment in selecting their compaions and associates.

The problem: How may I best choose my companions? Let the boys give their views. Now let us see how President Taylor did when a young man.

Study the lesson.

What spiritual manifestations did the boy John Taylor have that gave him strong religious impressions? What opportunities do you have to be led by religious influences? Why did he choose to be a Methodist? To leave grog alone? To stop using snuff? How did Leonora Cannon come to accept him as her husband? How did John Taylor choose the "Mormons" as his people?

What are your companions influencing you to do? What opportunities do you have to know whether those things are right?

Answer the problem.

Lesson 18

The aim in lesson eighteen may be to help the boys prepare themselves to defend the Authorities of the Church, including ward or stake, in times of trouble.

Problem: How may we become strong in defense of the servants of the Lord?

Study the lesson.

What were members of the Church in Kirtland doing that brought the spirit of apostasy among the Saints? Have someone review last lesson and point out how John Taylor had grown strong for the right. Relate his testimony to those who had allowed themselves to be influenced by the spirit of the times—speculation.

Sum up the lesson with the Savior's promise, "And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived."

Answer the problem of the lesson.


A "Happy Hour" Class

Elder Verner O. Hewlett, Halifax, England, April 6: "This is a picture of our 'happy hour class.' Sisters Lucy Walker at the left, and Sister Annie Sherman, at the right, have succeeded in making this children's organization very profitable for the children of the Latterday Saints and their friends in this district. To the left of the picture is our very commodious and comfortable meeting room. Twenty-two of our brethren here hold the Priesthood. They have so far been very fortunate as only three of them are at the front. Practically all of those who remain are indispensable in the manufacture of war munitions here."